Morgan Creek Productions and Emmett/Furla Films announced in a Thursday news release they are in final negotiations to partner on the production of "Tupac." The picture will begin filming next year in Atlanta.

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Gunned down in 1996 in Las Vegas, Shakur's murder has not been solved. He remains a towering figure in rap music, the subject of Elvis-like conspiracy theories and one of two slain symbols with Biggie Smalls of the East Coast-West Coast beef that ruled rap for a time in the 1990s.

The film will be executive produced by Shakur's mother, Afeni Shakur.

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The news release says the film will center on Shakur's life, but makes no mention of who will star as the rapper or who will direct.